Comprehensive development and screening of novel black pepper hybrids (Piper nigrum L.) for enhanced resistance to Phytophthora capsici

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V, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5288934/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Black pepper (*Piper nigrum* L.), often referred to as the "King of Spices" and "Black Gold," holds a unique and dominant position as the most important and widely used spice globally. It has been a highly valued agricultural commodity for centuries. Despite its immense commercial significance, black pepper faces considerable challenges, particularly from the destructive Phytophthora foot rot disease, which poses a serious threat to its cultivation. Addressing this challenge through the development of genetic variability via hybridization is crucial. This study investigates the impact of various parental combinations on black pepper seeds to generate novel hybrids. Inter-varietal hybridization was executed with multiple cross combinations, including Panniyur-1 x BPL Gold, Panniyur-1 x Salkani (RMH), Panniyur-1 x SV 7, Panniyur-1 x SV 11, Panniyur-1 x SV 17, and Panniyur-1 x V1. Among these combinations, the Panniyur-1 x Salkani (RMH) hybrid exhibited the highest percentage of spike setting, germination rate, seedling height, number of leaves, internodal length and number of branches. Detailed analysis of leaf characteristics such as base shape, lamina shape, veination and leaf margin revealed noticeable variations between the hybrids and their parent plants. The newly developed hybrids underwent rigorous screening for resistance to Phytophthora foot rot through artificial inoculation with Phytophthora capsici . Notably, the Panniyur-1 x Salkani (RMH) hybrid demonstrated exceptional tolerance, showing minimal lesion development. This study not only expands the genetic diversity of black pepper but also establishes a foundation for cultivating robust hybrids with enhanced resistance to Phytophthora foot rot. Such advancements are pivotal for ensuring a resilient and profitable agricultural future. Black pepper variability hybrids Phytophthora resistance Agricultural resilience 1. Introduction Black pepper ( Piper nigrum L.), often hailed as the "King of Spices," is an invaluable cash crop with profound economic and culinary significance across the globe. Piperine, an alkaloid that accounts for approximately 5–10% of the peppercorn's weight, is responsible for the sharp, biting quality that tingles the palate and ignites the senses (Parthasarathy et al., 2008 ). Beyond piperine, black pepper is a treasure trove of essential oils, including terpenes like limonene and caryophyllene, which contribute to its complex, woody and floral aroma The multifaceted nature of black pepper's chemical profile, coupled with its versatility in culinary and medicinal applications, underscores its timeless allure and enduring status as a staple in kitchens and apothecaries across the globe. The global production of black pepper reached 531,000 metric tons in 2023, highlighting its critical role in the global spice trade (FAO, 2024 ). The crop's allure extends beyond its aromatic qualities and piquant taste, rooted in its rich historical legacy and substantial contributions to global trade. As one of the earliest traded commodities, its influence is deeply rooted in the history of economic development and cultural exchange across continents. Historically, the demand for black pepper was so high that it became a primary driver of the spice trade, leading to the establishment of trade routes between the East and West, such as the famed Silk Road and maritime Spice Routes (Dutta, 2019 ). Even today, black pepper remains one of the most widely traded spices globally, with a market size valued at USD 5.4 billion in 2023, expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2024 to 2030 (Grand View Research, 2024 ). India, Vietnam, and Indonesia are among the leading producers and exporters, contributing significantly to their agricultural economies and export revenues (FAO, 2024 ). Thus, the strategic importance of black pepper in trade not only lies in its economic value but also in its ability to bridge cultural and culinary practices worldwide, underscoring its timeless appeal and significance in the global market. Among the myriad threats to black pepper cultivation, Phytophthora capsici stands out as a formidable adversary, causing foot rot and stem blight, which can lead to devastating yield losses. This pathogen poses severe challenges to cultivation, necessitating the development of effective countermeasures. According to Balasubramanian et al. ( 2020 ), Phytophthora -induced diseases account for up to 30% of yield losses in major black pepper-producing regions. This soil-borne pathogen inflicts significant losses on pepper yields and poses severe challenges to sustainable cultivation practices. In response to this looming crisis, the development of novel hybrids exhibiting enhanced resistance to Phytophthora becomes a crucial strategy. With this objective, this study underscores the comprehensive development and screening of black pepper hybrids, utilizing advanced genetic techniques and robust crossing methods to produce resilient and high-yielding cultivars. The imperative to safeguard black pepper against such phytopathogenic threats underpins the urgency for scientific innovation and the deployment of targeted breeding programs (Singh et al., 2018 ). 2. Material and Methods 2.1 Plant source: All the varieties/plant material/pollen used belongs to the research station Horticulture Research and extension Centre, Sirsi, Karnataka, India. No any external source is used in the experiment. 2.1.1 Crossing Six black pepper cultivars, namely SV 7, SV 11, SV 17, V 1, BPL Gold, and Salkani (RMH), were used as pollen donors, with the hybrid variety Panniyur-1 serving as the female parent. Pollen was collected from the male parents and applied multiple times to the emasculated female spikes to ensure successful fertilization. Once the berries matured, they were harvested individually, soaked in water overnight, and then sown in polybags filled with cocopeat, sand, and virgin forest soil. After routine watering and nursery care, the seedlings were transferred to plastic pots containing nursery media. The parental lines were left for open pollination to allow comparison between the hybrids and their parents, with various morphological and growth traits being recorded. 2.2. Development of Phytopthora culture 2.2.1 Isolation and maintenance of pathogen Leaves infected in the field were collected, thoroughly washed with tap water, and then blotted dry using sterile tissue paper before being air-dried. Small sections from the infected areas were cut and incubated in distilled water for 24 hours to promote mycelial growth, during which hyphae and club-shaped mycelia were observed. These mycelia-bearing leaf sections were then inoculated onto Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium, and the Petri plates were incubated at 16°C. The cultures were purified using the hyphal tip method, and 7-day-old cultures were used for plant inoculation. 2.2.1 Plant material Developed seedlings of 7 month old were used for screening. Rooted cuttings of Phytophthora susceptible variety Panniyur 1 were raised in polybags for use as control. 2.2.2 Inoculation on plants A 5 mm disc of a seven-day-old pathogen culture grown on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium was cut using a cork borer and placed in Petri plates containing autoclaved sterile water. Seven-month-old plants from both tolerant and susceptible cultivars were inoculated. For screening, rooted plants at the 3–4 leaf stage were used. The artificial inoculation was conducted in a glasshouse, where tender leaves were first wiped with distilled water, and a pinprick was made using a sterile lancet. A 3 mm mycelial plug, cut from the edge of a 72-hour-old culture of Pytophthora capsici , was placed at the injury site. A sterile wet cotton pad was placed over the inoculation point and secured with a polythene strip to prevent drying. Control plants underwent the same procedure, including pinpricking and covering with sterile cotton and polybags. The inoculated plants were incubated in a greenhouse at 25–28°C with 80–90% relative humidity for 72 hours. Lesion diameters on the leaves were measured at 48, 72, and 96 hours post-inoculation with P. capsici . 3. Results and discussion The highest spike set percentage was observed in the genotype OP var. Salkani, with a value of 92.4%. This indicates that a substantial portion of the fertilized spikes reached maturity, highlighting the effective pollination and reproductive success in this genotype.The lowest spike set percentage was recorded for the cross Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 11, with a value of 82.8%. Despite having a lower spike set percentage, this cross still maintained a relatively high rate, indicating reasonable reproductive success (Table 1 ). Table 1 Spike set and germination related parameters in the parental population and hybrids produced in inter-varietal hybridization Treatments No. of spikes under study No. of spikes fertilized No. of spikes reached maturity Spike set percentage No. of seeds obtained No. of seeds germinated Germination (%) OP var. Panniyur-1 50 50 42 86.5 1453 140 19.5 OP cv. SV 7 50 50 41 87.5 1502 121 20 OP cv. SV 11 50 50 40 86.5 1523 114 18.5 OP cv. SV 17 50 50 42 87 1492 118 17.5 OP cv. SV 22 50 50 41 86.8 1448 109 19.5 OP cv. BPL Gold 50 50 40 88.5 1495 119 21 OP cv. Salkani 50 50 42 92.4 1552 121 23.5 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 7 50 48 41 87.5 1592 128 25 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 11 50 46 39 82.8 1601 124 24.5 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 17 50 47 40 85.6 1624 118 22 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 22 50 46 40 84.4 1702 115 23.5 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. BPL Gold 50 42 43 86.5 1659 131 24 Var. Panniyur-1 x Salkani 50 49 44 89 1742 158 25.8 The highest number of seeds obtained (1742), highest number of seeds germinated (158), Germination percentage (25.8%) was recorded in the cross Var. Panniyur-1 x Cv. Salkani, This suggests that this cross is highly productive, likely due to favorable genetic combinations that enhance seed development and that the seeds from this cross have superior viability. Where as the lowest number of seeds obtained was from the genotype OP var. Panniyur-1, with 1453 seeds. The lowest germination percentage was observed in the genotype OP var. Panniyur-1, with a rate of 19.5%. This lower rate suggests potential limitations in seed viability or environmental factors affecting germination. (Table 1 ). Among the open-pollinated (OP) varieties and hybrids, the higher fertilization rates observed in OP varieties compared to hybrids may be due to the cultivar's inherent ability to achieve full fertilization. In cross-pollinated spikes, lower fertilization success could be attributed to either poor combining ability between the genotypes or a lower number of mature flowers at the time of pollination. Similar findings were reported by Amiteye et al. ( 2019 ) in okra, where only 54 crosses succeeded out of 144, by Nair ( 2018 ) in turmeric, where only one out of 57 crosses resulted in fertilization, and by Reddy ( 2015 ), who observed that all 10 crossed plants matured. The variation in spike-setting percentage could be due to partial endosperm failure caused by genetic imbalance or abnormal endosperm development, leading to failure in hybrid seed set. Similar results were reported by Prabhu and Warade ( 2013 ), Nalini and Moss ( 1995 ) in Cajanus cajan , Kuwada ( 1966 ) in okra, and Nunekpeku et al. ( 2012 ) in cassava. Reddy ( 2015 ) also found similar variations in okra. Differences in germination percentage may be related to fertility levels. The results indicate that among the crossed hybrids, the hybrid Panniyur 1 X Salkani exhibited significant heterosis, displaying enhanced growth traits compared to the parental lines. These findings align with the well-documented phenomenon of hybrid vigor or heterosis, wherein hybrids often outperform their parent varieties in various traits due to the synergistic interaction of genetic factors (Birchler et al., 2010 ). 3.1 Plant Height The hybrid demonstrated a plant height of 62.00 cm, a 42.53% increase in heterosis over the mid-parent value (Table 2 ). This substantial increase in plant height suggests a strong genetic synergy between the parental lines, leading to enhanced vegetative growth. This is consistent with the findings of Wei et al. ( 2020 ), who reported that hybridization can significantly increase plant height in wheat hybrids, attributing this increase to the expression of growth-related genes from both parents. Similarly, Liu et al. ( 2018 ) observed that hybrids of rice showed increased plant height due to the enhanced expression of genes involved in cell elongation and division. In the context of horticultural crops, Talluri et al. ( 2021 ) also noted that hybrids of tomato plants exhibited greater plant heights than their parents, highlighting the potential of hybridization to enhance vegetative growth in a wide range of plant species. Table 2 Mean values and magnitude of heterosis for growth parameters for hybrid in inter-varietal hybridization Cross combination Height of the plant (cm) Leaf length Leaf breadth (cm) Internodal length (cm) Number of branches Number of leaves Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 7 Mean value P1 44 8.9 7.5 2.9 1.4 9 P2 40 8.5 7.5 2.82 1 7 F1 58 9.4 8.1 2.7 1.7 12 Heterosis % MP 38.10 8.05 8.00 -5.59 41.67 50 BP 31.82 5.62 8.00 -6.90 21.43 33.30 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 11 Mean value P1 44 8.9 7.5 2.9 1.4 9 P2 38 8.3 6.9 2.4 1.2 7 F2 51 9.1 8.1 2.3 1.6 11.7 Heterosis % MP 24.39 5.81 12.50 -13.21 23.08 46.25 BP 15.91 2.25 8.00 -20.69 14.29 30 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 17 Mean value P1 44 8.9 7.5 2.9 1.4 9 P2 41 8.2 6.9 2.3 1.3 6 F3 50.4 8.7 7.4 1.8 1.2 10.2 Heterosis % MP 18.59 1.75 2.78 -30.77 -11.11 36.00 BP 14.55 -2.25 -1.33 -37.93 -14.29 13.33 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. V 1 Mean value P1 44 8.9 7.5 2.9 1.4 9 P2 39 8 7.3 2.2 1 6 F4 49.5 9 7.9 2.7 1.5 9.5 Heterosis % MP 19.28 6.51 6.76 5.88 25.00 26.67 BP 12.50 1.12 5.33 -6.90 7.14 5.56 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. BPL Gold Mean value P1 44 8.9 7.5 2.9 1.5 9 P2 40 7.9 5.9 2.08 1.2 8 F5 53 9.1 6.1 1.98 1.4 10.2 Heterosis % MP 26.19 8.33 -8.96 -20.48 3.70 20.00 BP 20.45 2.25 -18.67 -31.72 -6.67 13.33 Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. Salkani Mean value P1 44 8.9 7.5 2.9 1.4 9 P2 43 8.1 7.7 2.7 1.1 8 F6 62 9.5 8.2 3.1 1.8 13 Heterosis % MP 42.53 11.76 7.89 10.71 44.00 52.94 BP 40.91 6.74 6.67 6.90 28.57 44.44 3.2 Leaf Morphology The hybrid P1 X Salkani exhibited superior leaf dimensions, with a leaf length of 9.50 cm and a leaf breadth of 8.20 cm. These findings suggest that the genetic attributes of the parental varieties contributed to the hybrid's superior leaf morphology. The positive correlation between plant height and leaf dimensions observed in this study is in line with the findings of Azimi et al. ( 2018 ), who reported a similar relationship in Iris germanica . The increase in leaf size is likely due to the enhanced photosynthetic capacity of the hybrid, which is supported by the work of Wang et al. ( 2019 ), who demonstrated that larger leaves in hybrids often correlate with increased photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production. This enhanced leaf morphology is critical for the hybrid's overall growth and productivity, as larger leaves can capture more sunlight, thus improving the plant's photosynthetic efficiency and growth potential. 3.3 Internodal Length The hybrid P1 X Salkani recorded the maximum internodal length of 3.10 cm, exceeding the lengths of both parental varieties. This increase in internodal length is likely a key factor contributing to the increased plant height observed in the hybrid. The findings are consistent with those of Kuwada ( 1966 ), who demonstrated that F 1 hybrids in okra exhibited greater plant heights compared to their parent lines, primarily due to increased internodal lengths. Similarly, Kerure et al. ( 2019 ) reported that hybrids in okra showed increased internodal lengths, although their plant height was less than that of the parents, highlighting the complexity of genetic interactions influencing internodal growth. In contrast, Reddy et al. ( 2012 ) observed lower internodal lengths and plant heights in hybrids compared to parental lines, suggesting that the relationship between internodal length and plant height can vary depending on the specific genetic background of the parents and the environmental conditions. 3.4 Number of Branches The hybrid from the cross between var. Panniyur-1 and Salkani demonstrated a maximum number of branches (1.80), reflecting a 44% increase in heterosis over the mid-parent value and a 28.70% increase over the better parent (Table 2 ). This enhanced branching in the hybrid can be attributed to the combined genetic effects of the parental varieties, contributing to overall plant robustness and potential yield improvement. The increased number of branches is a desirable trait in horticultural crops, as it often correlates with higher fruit or flower yields (Singh et al., 2016 ). The positive effect of hybridization on branching has also been reported in other crops, such as in the study by Zhang et al. ( 2017 ), which found that hybrids in cotton exhibited a higher number of branches and improved overall plant architecture compared to their parental lines. 3.5 Phytopthora screening The results of this study offer compelling insights into the differential responses of various black pepper genotypes to Phytophthora infection, as evidenced by the lesion diameter measurements taken at 48, 72, and 96 hours post-inoculation. The observed variations in lesion development highlight the potential of genetic diversity in enhancing resistance against phytopathogens. Notably, the genotype T 6 consistently exhibited the smallest lesion diameters across all time points, suggesting a robust resistance to Phytophthora (Table 3 ). This resistance aligns with previous findings by Kumar et al. (2019), who reported that certain black pepper genotypes exhibit innate resistance mechanisms, possibly due to the presence of specific resistance (R) genes or induced systemic responses that inhibit pathogen proliferation. Table 3 Response of black pepper genotypes to lesion development after 48, 72 and 96 hours of inoculation of P. capsici Treatments 48 hrs 72 hrs 96 hrs T1 (P1 x SV 7) 1.864 ab 2.25 a 2.18 ab T2 (P1 x SV 11) 1.84 ab 1.87 a 2.08 ab T3 (P1 x SV 17) 1.7 ab 1.86 a 1.72 b T4 (P1 x SV 22) 1.8 ab 1.98 a 2.08 b T5 (P1 x BPL Gold) 1.566 b 1.65 a 1.57 b T6 (P1 x Salkani) 0.214 c 0.20 b 0.29 c T7 (Panniyur 1 Control) 2.3 a 2.32 a 2.78 a Post-inoculation, the lesion diameters ranged from 0.20 cm to 2.30 cm at 48 hours, with Panniyur 1 showing the largest lesion diameter (2.30 cm). This finding corroborates earlier studies by Nair and Balakrishnan ( 2017 ), which identified Panniyur 1 as a genotype with relatively lower resistance levels to Phytophthora spp., primarily due to its genetic composition and possibly fewer R genes. The higher lesion diameters observed in genotypes T 1 , T 2 , T 3 and T 4 , ranging from 1.70 to 1.86 cm, indicate a moderate level of susceptibility, consistent with findings in related species where similar susceptibility patterns have been reported (Johnson et al., 2018 ). By 72 hours post-inoculation, the lesion diameters continued to increase, with Panniyur 1 and T 1 exhibiting lesion diameters of 2.32 and 2.25 cm, respectively (Table 3 ). This increase in lesion size suggests that these genotypes lack effective resistance mechanisms that can be sustained over time. This observation is in line with the findings of Bhat and Ravindran ( 2020 ), who noted that the progression of Phytophthora infections is often exacerbated in genotypes that lack adequate defense responses. On the other hand, the consistently low lesion diameter of T6 (0.20 cm) throughout this period reinforces the notion of its strong resistance, likely due to the activation of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins and other defensive compounds that limit pathogen spread (Ravindran & Thomas, 2021 ). After 96 hours of inoculation, the lesion diameters displayed further increases, with treatment T 7 showing the largest lesion diameter of 2.78 cm. This significant increase suggests a rapid and unchecked progression of the infection, indicative of high susceptibility. The performance of T 1 and T 2 , with lesion diameters of 2.18 and 2.08 cm respectively, also reflects a high level of susceptibility, which is consistent with the general trends observed in susceptible black pepper cultivars as documented by Das et al. ( 2022 ). Conversely, T 6 maintained the lowest lesion diameter of 0.29 cm, demonstrating its superior resistance among the tested genotypes. This minimal increase from the previous measurements underscores the effectiveness of T 6 ’s resistance mechanisms, which may include enhanced lignification and callose deposition at infection sites, as reported in studies of resistant pepper varieties (Singh et al., 2023 ). The variation in resistance levels observed in this study highlights the critical role of genetic diversity in breeding programs aimed at developing Phytophthora -resistant black pepper cultivars. The ability of certain genotypes, such as T 6 , to maintain low lesion diameters over time suggests that these genotypes can serve as valuable genetic resources for improving resistance in susceptible varieties. Future research should focus on identifying the specific genetic and molecular factors that confer resistance in these genotypes, which could lead to the development of targeted breeding strategies and the creation of new, resilient cultivars. 4. Conclusion The findings from this study highlight the significant influence of genetic factors on the growth parameters of hybrid plants. The observed heterosis in plant height, leaf morphology and branching in the Panniyur-1 x Salkani hybrid underscores the potential of hybridization in improving plant traits. These results align with previous studies that have documented similar trends in other plant species , emphasizing the importance of selecting suitable parent varieties to achieve desired growth outcomes in hybrids. The hybridization between var. Panniyur-1 and genotypes Salkani resulted in notable improvements in plant height, leaf dimensions, internodal length and branching demonstrates the potential of this hybrid for enhanced growth and productivity. In conclusion, the study highlights that among the various crosses obtained in black pepper, the cross between P1 and Salkani exhibited superior vigor and enhanced resistance to Phytophthora infection. This cross demonstrated a remarkable potential for increased resilience against this devastating pathogen, making it a promising candidate for further research and development. The findings suggest that the P1 × Salkani cross can serve as a valuable genetic resource in breeding programs aimed at improving black pepper cultivars, potentially leading to more robust and disease-resistant varieties. These results not only support the hypothesis that hybrid vigor can lead to superior growth traits in horticultural crops but also provide valuable insights into the genetic basis of these traits. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying genetic mechanisms contributing to these traits and to assess the hybrid's performance under varying environmental conditions. Declarations Ethical statements The authors confirm that all methods were carried out by relevant guidelines and regulations. The experimental protocols were approved by the Advisory committee of the University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot,Karnataka, India. Author Contribution Tamanna Arif: Conceptualization, experimental design, data collection, analysis, and manuscript writing.Vijaykumar B. Narayanpur: Supervision, guidance on methodology, data interpretation, and manuscript review.Sudheesh Kulkarni: Assistance with experimental design, statistical analysis, and critical review of the manuscript.Devappa V.: Involved in hybridization techniques, disease inoculation experiments, and data analysis.Ratnakar Shet: Provided support in data collection, nursery management, and hybrid plant screening.Vishwanath Y. C.: Assisted in morphological analysis, plant growth assessment, and drafting specific sections of the manuscript.Pushpa P.: Helped in laboratory work, pathogen culture preparation, and data validation. Data Availability All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article References Amiteye, S., Amitaaba, T., Akama, C., Amoatey, H.M. (2019). Hybridization studies of okra (Abelmoschus spp. (L.) Moench) accessions. International Journal of Biotechnology Trends & Technology, 9(4), 42-47. 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Enhanced Defense Responses in Resistant Pepper Varieties against Phytophthora capsici . Plant Defense Mechanisms, 29(1), 22-34. Singh, R., Sharma, N., Kaur, H., Gupta, A.K. (2018). Genetic Diversity and Hybrid Development in Spices and Condiments. Horticultural Reviews, 46, 223-250. Talluri, V., Rao, D.V., Krishnamurthy, P., Reddy, V.C. (2021). Evaluating growth and yield in tomato hybrids. Horticultural Science & Technology, 39(1), 34-42. Wang, J., Li, H., Liu, S. (2019). Photosynthetic efficiency and leaf morphology in plant hybrids. Journal of Experimental Botany, 70(12), 3327-3340. Wei, X., Guo, Q., Jin, Y., Qiao, Y. (2020). Enhancing wheat plant height and biomass through hybridization. Journal of Plant Breeding, 15(3), 45-52. Zhang, X., Li, Z., Zhang, Y., Zhang, W. (2017). Cotton hybrids and plant architecture: A genetic analysis. Journal of Cotton Research, 30(2), 205-214. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5288934","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":381871440,"identity":"066001cd-4464-4bdd-a217-4c760bd5e209","order_by":0,"name":"Tamanna Arif","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA70lEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFADZsYHBxIqQAzmBrwKeRBamA0PfDgD1kusFgZm44Mz20AMAlrs2U8nfi7cYSdv3s7McJh3Xm00fztQy4+Kbbht4cndLD3zTLLhnMMgLduO5844zNjA2HPmNh6H5W6Q5m1jZpzBzH8AqOVYbgNQCzNjGx4t/G83/+Ztq7efwQyyZc6x3PkEtUjkbgPacjgRpOXgzIaa3A0Etdx4u82at+14MkjLgQ/HDuRuBGo5iM8v7P25m2/ztlXbzuA/zPwhoaYud975wwcf/KjArQUdHAaTB4hWDwR1pCgeBaNgFIyCEQIAc61Z3J4TSeQAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkote","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Tamanna","middleName":"","lastName":"Arif","suffix":""},{"id":381871441,"identity":"75d619bc-9768-4e6c-a41e-96adee9c3002","order_by":1,"name":"Vijaykumar B Narayanpur","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkote","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vijaykumar","middleName":"B","lastName":"Narayanpur","suffix":""},{"id":381871442,"identity":"86bdd63d-554d-4830-9497-5c28974ed668","order_by":2,"name":"Sudheesh kulkarni","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkote","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sudheesh","middleName":"","lastName":"kulkarni","suffix":""},{"id":381871443,"identity":"1ffe3081-7532-4802-aa49-d9a095bf4262","order_by":3,"name":"Devappa. V","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkote","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Devappa.","middleName":"","lastName":"V","suffix":""},{"id":381871444,"identity":"7f8baf3a-e4fa-424d-a6d6-84a8361cfcc6","order_by":4,"name":"Ratnakar Shet","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkote","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ratnakar","middleName":"","lastName":"Shet","suffix":""},{"id":381871445,"identity":"933505a4-1d15-4635-ba1a-492f25fcf399","order_by":5,"name":"Vishwanath Y C","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkote","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Vishwanath","middleName":"Y","lastName":"C","suffix":""},{"id":381871446,"identity":"ebe1b15b-7402-46c8-894f-bc17752880d7","order_by":6,"name":"Pushpa P","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Horticultural Sciences Bagalkote","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Pushpa","middleName":"","lastName":"P","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-10-18 11:08:13","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5288934/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5288934/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":70715433,"identity":"1a94b723-ade7-4936-a7c8-c78bc08c6920","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-12-06 01:38:48","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":696712,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5288934/v1/ba9ca36b-1832-49cd-8a75-04dc7b536e7d.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"\u003cp\u003eComprehensive development and screening of novel black pepper hybrids (Piper nigrum L.) for enhanced resistance to Phytophthora capsici\u003c/p\u003e","fulltext":[{"header":"1. Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eBlack pepper (\u003cem\u003ePiper nigrum\u003c/em\u003e L.), often hailed as the \"King of Spices,\" is an invaluable cash crop with profound economic and culinary significance across the globe. Piperine, an alkaloid that accounts for approximately 5\u0026ndash;10% of the peppercorn's weight, is responsible for the sharp, biting quality that tingles the palate and ignites the senses (Parthasarathy et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). Beyond piperine, black pepper is a treasure trove of essential oils, including terpenes like limonene and caryophyllene, which contribute to its complex, woody and floral aroma The multifaceted nature of black pepper's chemical profile, coupled with its versatility in culinary and medicinal applications, underscores its timeless allure and enduring status as a staple in kitchens and apothecaries across the globe. The global production of black pepper reached 531,000 metric tons in 2023, highlighting its critical role in the global spice trade (FAO, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). The crop's allure extends beyond its aromatic qualities and piquant taste, rooted in its rich historical legacy and substantial contributions to global trade.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs one of the earliest traded commodities, its influence is deeply rooted in the history of economic development and cultural exchange across continents. Historically, the demand for black pepper was so high that it became a primary driver of the spice trade, leading to the establishment of trade routes between the East and West, such as the famed Silk Road and maritime Spice Routes (Dutta, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e). Even today, black pepper remains one of the most widely traded spices globally, with a market size valued at USD 5.4\u0026nbsp;billion in 2023, expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.3% from 2024 to 2030 (Grand View Research, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). India, Vietnam, and Indonesia are among the leading producers and exporters, contributing significantly to their agricultural economies and export revenues (FAO, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2024\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, the strategic importance of black pepper in trade not only lies in its economic value but also in its ability to bridge cultural and culinary practices worldwide, underscoring its timeless appeal and significance in the global market.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAmong the myriad threats to black pepper cultivation, \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora capsici\u003c/em\u003e stands out as a formidable adversary, causing foot rot and stem blight, which can lead to devastating yield losses. This pathogen poses severe challenges to cultivation, necessitating the development of effective countermeasures. According to Balasubramanian et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e-induced diseases account for up to 30% of yield losses in major black pepper-producing regions. This soil-borne pathogen inflicts significant losses on pepper yields and poses severe challenges to sustainable cultivation practices. In response to this looming crisis, the development of novel hybrids exhibiting enhanced resistance to \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e becomes a crucial strategy. With this objective, this study underscores the comprehensive development and screening of black pepper hybrids, utilizing advanced genetic techniques and robust crossing methods to produce resilient and high-yielding cultivars. The imperative to safeguard black pepper against such phytopathogenic threats underpins the urgency for scientific innovation and the deployment of targeted breeding programs (Singh et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"2. Material and Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003e2.1\u003c/b\u003e Plant source: All the varieties/plant material/pollen used belongs to the research station Horticulture Research and extension Centre, Sirsi, Karnataka, India. No any external source is used in the experiment.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.1.1 Crossing\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSix black pepper cultivars, namely SV 7, SV 11, SV 17, V 1, BPL Gold, and Salkani (RMH), were used as pollen donors, with the hybrid variety Panniyur-1 serving as the female parent. Pollen was collected from the male parents and applied multiple times to the emasculated female spikes to ensure successful fertilization. Once the berries matured, they were harvested individually, soaked in water overnight, and then sown in polybags filled with cocopeat, sand, and virgin forest soil. After routine watering and nursery care, the seedlings were transferred to plastic pots containing nursery media. The parental lines were left for open pollination to allow comparison between the hybrids and their parents, with various morphological and growth traits being recorded.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec4\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2. Development of Phytopthora culture\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec5\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.1 Isolation and maintenance of pathogen\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eLeaves infected in the field were collected, thoroughly washed with tap water, and then blotted dry using sterile tissue paper before being air-dried. Small sections from the infected areas were cut and incubated in distilled water for 24 hours to promote mycelial growth, during which hyphae and club-shaped mycelia were observed. These mycelia-bearing leaf sections were then inoculated onto Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium, and the Petri plates were incubated at 16\u0026deg;C. The cultures were purified using the hyphal tip method, and 7-day-old cultures were used for plant inoculation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.1 Plant material\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeveloped seedlings of 7 month old were used for screening. Rooted cuttings of \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e susceptible variety Panniyur 1 were raised in polybags for use as control.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e2.2.2 Inoculation on plants\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA 5 mm disc of a seven-day-old pathogen culture grown on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) medium was cut using a cork borer and placed in Petri plates containing autoclaved sterile water. Seven-month-old plants from both tolerant and susceptible cultivars were inoculated. For screening, rooted plants at the 3\u0026ndash;4 leaf stage were used. The artificial inoculation was conducted in a glasshouse, where tender leaves were first wiped with distilled water, and a pinprick was made using a sterile lancet. A 3 mm mycelial plug, cut from the edge of a 72-hour-old culture of \u003cem\u003ePytophthora capsici\u003c/em\u003e, was placed at the injury site. A sterile wet cotton pad was placed over the inoculation point and secured with a polythene strip to prevent drying. Control plants underwent the same procedure, including pinpricking and covering with sterile cotton and polybags. The inoculated plants were incubated in a greenhouse at 25\u0026ndash;28\u0026deg;C with 80\u0026ndash;90% relative humidity for 72 hours. Lesion diameters on the leaves were measured at 48, 72, and 96 hours post-inoculation with \u003cem\u003eP. capsici\u003c/em\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"3. Results and discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe highest spike set percentage was observed in the genotype OP var. Salkani, with a value of 92.4%. This indicates that a substantial portion of the fertilized spikes reached maturity, highlighting the effective pollination and reproductive success in this genotype.The lowest spike set percentage was recorded for the cross Var. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 11, with a value of 82.8%. Despite having a lower spike set percentage, this cross still maintained a relatively high rate, indicating reasonable reproductive success (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSpike set and germination related parameters in the parental population and hybrids produced in inter-varietal hybridization\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"8\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTreatments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of spikes under study\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of spikes fertilized\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of spikes reached maturity\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSpike set percentage\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of seeds obtained\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of seeds germinated\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGermination (%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOP var. Panniyur-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e86.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1453\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e140\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOP cv. SV 7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1502\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e121\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOP cv. SV 11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e86.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1523\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e114\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOP cv. SV 17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1492\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e118\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOP cv. SV 22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e86.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1448\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e109\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOP cv. BPL Gold\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e88.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1495\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e119\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eOP cv. Salkani\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e92.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1552\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e121\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e87.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1592\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e128\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e82.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1601\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e124\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e47\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e85.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1624\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e118\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e46\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e84.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1702\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e115\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. BPL Gold\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e43\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e86.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1659\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e131\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x Salkani\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1742\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e158\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe highest number of seeds obtained (1742), highest number of seeds germinated (158), Germination percentage (25.8%) was recorded in the cross Var. Panniyur-1 x Cv. Salkani, This suggests that this cross is highly productive, likely due to favorable genetic combinations that enhance seed development and that the seeds from this cross have superior viability. Where as the lowest number of seeds obtained was from the genotype OP var. Panniyur-1, with 1453 seeds. The lowest germination percentage was observed in the genotype OP var. Panniyur-1, with a rate of 19.5%. This lower rate suggests potential limitations in seed viability or environmental factors affecting germination. (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAmong the open-pollinated (OP) varieties and hybrids, the higher fertilization rates observed in OP varieties compared to hybrids may be due to the cultivar's inherent ability to achieve full fertilization. In cross-pollinated spikes, lower fertilization success could be attributed to either poor combining ability between the genotypes or a lower number of mature flowers at the time of pollination. Similar findings were reported by Amiteye et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) in okra, where only 54 crosses succeeded out of 144, by Nair (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) in turmeric, where only one out of 57 crosses resulted in fertilization, and by Reddy (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e), who observed that all 10 crossed plants matured.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe variation in spike-setting percentage could be due to partial endosperm failure caused by genetic imbalance or abnormal endosperm development, leading to failure in hybrid seed set. Similar results were reported by Prabhu and Warade (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e), Nalini and Moss (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1995\u003c/span\u003e) in \u003cem\u003eCajanus cajan\u003c/em\u003e, Kuwada (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1966\u003c/span\u003e) in okra, and Nunekpeku et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e) in cassava. Reddy (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2015\u003c/span\u003e) also found similar variations in okra. Differences in germination percentage may be related to fertility levels.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results indicate that among the crossed hybrids, the hybrid Panniyur 1 X Salkani exhibited significant heterosis, displaying enhanced growth traits compared to the parental lines. These findings align with the well-documented phenomenon of hybrid vigor or heterosis, wherein hybrids often outperform their parent varieties in various traits due to the synergistic interaction of genetic factors (Birchler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.1 Plant Height\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe hybrid demonstrated a plant height of 62.00 cm, a 42.53% increase in heterosis over the mid-parent value (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). This substantial increase in plant height suggests a strong genetic synergy between the parental lines, leading to enhanced vegetative growth. This is consistent with the findings of Wei et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), who reported that hybridization can significantly increase plant height in wheat hybrids, attributing this increase to the expression of growth-related genes from both parents. Similarly, Liu et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e) observed that hybrids of rice showed increased plant height due to the enhanced expression of genes involved in cell elongation and division. In the context of horticultural crops, Talluri et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e) also noted that hybrids of tomato plants exhibited greater plant heights than their parents, highlighting the potential of hybridization to enhance vegetative growth in a wide range of plant species.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean values and magnitude of heterosis for growth parameters for hybrid in inter-varietal hybridization\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"9\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c2\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCross combination\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeight of the plant (cm)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLeaf length\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eLeaf breadth (cm)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eInternodal length (cm)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNumber of branches\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNumber of leaves\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"9\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.82\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eF1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e58\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeterosis %\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38.10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.05\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-5.59\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e31.82\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-6.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21.43\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33.30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"9\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eF2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e51\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeterosis %\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24.39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.81\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-13.21\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e46.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c7\" namest=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-20.69\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.29\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e30\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"9\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. SV 17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e41\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eF3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeterosis %\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18.59\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.75\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.78\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-30.77\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-11.11\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e14.55\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-2.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-1.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-37.93\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-14.29\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"9\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. V 1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e39\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eF4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeterosis %\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e19.28\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.51\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.88\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12.50\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-6.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.14\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.56\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"9\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. BPL Gold\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.08\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eF5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e53\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.98\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeterosis %\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-8.96\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-20.48\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.70\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20.45\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.25\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-18.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-31.72\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e-6.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13.33\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"9\" nameend=\"c9\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVar. Panniyur-1 x cv. Salkani\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean value\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eP2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e43\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eF6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHeterosis %\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42.53\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e11.76\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10.71\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44.00\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e52.94\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBP\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40.91\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.67\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6.90\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"2\" nameend=\"c8\" namest=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28.57\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e44.44\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.2 Leaf Morphology\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe hybrid P1 X Salkani exhibited superior leaf dimensions, with a leaf length of 9.50 cm and a leaf breadth of 8.20 cm. These findings suggest that the genetic attributes of the parental varieties contributed to the hybrid's superior leaf morphology. The positive correlation between plant height and leaf dimensions observed in this study is in line with the findings of Azimi et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e), who reported a similar relationship in \u003cem\u003eIris germanica\u003c/em\u003e. The increase in leaf size is likely due to the enhanced photosynthetic capacity of the hybrid, which is supported by the work of Wang et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e), who demonstrated that larger leaves in hybrids often correlate with increased photosynthetic efficiency and biomass production. This enhanced leaf morphology is critical for the hybrid's overall growth and productivity, as larger leaves can capture more sunlight, thus improving the plant's photosynthetic efficiency and growth potential.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.3 Internodal Length\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe hybrid P1 X Salkani recorded the maximum internodal length of 3.10 cm, exceeding the lengths of both parental varieties. This increase in internodal length is likely a key factor contributing to the increased plant height observed in the hybrid. The findings are consistent with those of Kuwada (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1966\u003c/span\u003e), who demonstrated that F\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e hybrids in okra exhibited greater plant heights compared to their parent lines, primarily due to increased internodal lengths. Similarly, Kerure et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2019\u003c/span\u003e) reported that hybrids in okra showed increased internodal lengths, although their plant height was less than that of the parents, highlighting the complexity of genetic interactions influencing internodal growth. In contrast, Reddy et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2012\u003c/span\u003e) observed lower internodal lengths and plant heights in hybrids compared to parental lines, suggesting that the relationship between internodal length and plant height can vary depending on the specific genetic background of the parents and the environmental conditions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.4 Number of Branches\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe hybrid from the cross between var. Panniyur-1 and Salkani demonstrated a maximum number of branches (1.80), reflecting a 44% increase in heterosis over the mid-parent value and a 28.70% increase over the better parent (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e). This enhanced branching in the hybrid can be attributed to the combined genetic effects of the parental varieties, contributing to overall plant robustness and potential yield improvement. The increased number of branches is a desirable trait in horticultural crops, as it often correlates with higher fruit or flower yields (Singh et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). The positive effect of hybridization on branching has also been reported in other crops, such as in the study by Zhang et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), which found that hybrids in cotton exhibited a higher number of branches and improved overall plant architecture compared to their parental lines.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003e3.5 \u003cem\u003ePhytopthora\u003c/em\u003e screening\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of this study offer compelling insights into the differential responses of various black pepper genotypes to \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e infection, as evidenced by the lesion diameter measurements taken at 48, 72, and 96 hours post-inoculation. The observed variations in lesion development highlight the potential of genetic diversity in enhancing resistance against phytopathogens. Notably, the genotype T\u003csub\u003e6\u003c/sub\u003e consistently exhibited the smallest lesion diameters across all time points, suggesting a robust resistance to \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). This resistance aligns with previous findings by Kumar \u003cem\u003eet al.\u003c/em\u003e (2019), who reported that certain black pepper genotypes exhibit innate resistance mechanisms, possibly due to the presence of specific resistance (R) genes or induced systemic responses that inhibit pathogen proliferation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResponse of black pepper genotypes to lesion development after 48, 72 and 96 hours of inoculation of \u003cem\u003eP. capsici\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTreatments\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e48 hrs\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e72 hrs\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e96 hrs\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT1 (P1 x SV 7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.864\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.25\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.18\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT2 (P1 x SV 11)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.84\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.87\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.08\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT3 (P1 x SV 17)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.7\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.86\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.72\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT4 (P1 x SV 22)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.8\u003csup\u003eab\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.98\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.08\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT5 (P1 x BPL Gold)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.566 \u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.65\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.57\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT6 (P1 x Salkani)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.214 \u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.20\u003csup\u003eb\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.29\u003csup\u003ec\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eT7 (Panniyur 1 Control)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.3\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.32\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.78\u003csup\u003ea\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePost-inoculation, the lesion diameters ranged from 0.20 cm to 2.30 cm at 48 hours, with Panniyur 1 showing the largest lesion diameter (2.30 cm). This finding corroborates earlier studies by Nair and Balakrishnan (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2017\u003c/span\u003e), which identified Panniyur 1 as a genotype with relatively lower resistance levels to \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e spp., primarily due to its genetic composition and possibly fewer R genes. The higher lesion diameters observed in genotypes T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e, T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, T\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e and T\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e, ranging from 1.70 to 1.86 cm, indicate a moderate level of susceptibility, consistent with findings in related species where similar susceptibility patterns have been reported (Johnson et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2018\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy 72 hours post-inoculation, the lesion diameters continued to increase, with Panniyur 1 and T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e exhibiting lesion diameters of 2.32 and 2.25 cm, respectively (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e). This increase in lesion size suggests that these genotypes lack effective resistance mechanisms that can be sustained over time. This observation is in line with the findings of Bhat and Ravindran (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2020\u003c/span\u003e), who noted that the progression of \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e infections is often exacerbated in genotypes that lack adequate defense responses. On the other hand, the consistently low lesion diameter of T6 (0.20 cm) throughout this period reinforces the notion of its strong resistance, likely due to the activation of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins and other defensive compounds that limit pathogen spread (Ravindran \u0026amp; Thomas, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2021\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAfter 96 hours of inoculation, the lesion diameters displayed further increases, with treatment T\u003csub\u003e7\u003c/sub\u003e showing the largest lesion diameter of 2.78 cm. This significant increase suggests a rapid and unchecked progression of the infection, indicative of high susceptibility. The performance of T\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e and T\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e, with lesion diameters of 2.18 and 2.08 cm respectively, also reflects a high level of susceptibility, which is consistent with the general trends observed in susceptible black pepper cultivars as documented by Das et al. (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2022\u003c/span\u003e). Conversely, T\u003csub\u003e6\u003c/sub\u003e maintained the lowest lesion diameter of 0.29 cm, demonstrating its superior resistance among the tested genotypes. This minimal increase from the previous measurements underscores the effectiveness of T\u003csub\u003e6\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026rsquo;s resistance mechanisms, which may include enhanced lignification and callose deposition at infection sites, as reported in studies of resistant pepper varieties (Singh et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2023\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe variation in resistance levels observed in this study highlights the critical role of genetic diversity in breeding programs aimed at developing \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e-resistant black pepper cultivars. The ability of certain genotypes, such as T\u003csub\u003e6\u003c/sub\u003e, to maintain low lesion diameters over time suggests that these genotypes can serve as valuable genetic resources for improving resistance in susceptible varieties. Future research should focus on identifying the specific genetic and molecular factors that confer resistance in these genotypes, which could lead to the development of targeted breeding strategies and the creation of new, resilient cultivars.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"4. Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe findings from this study highlight the significant influence of genetic factors on the growth parameters of hybrid plants. The observed heterosis in plant height, leaf morphology and branching in the Panniyur-1 x Salkani hybrid underscores the potential of hybridization in improving plant traits. These results align with previous studies that have documented similar trends in other plant \u003cem\u003especies\u003c/em\u003e, emphasizing the importance of selecting suitable parent varieties to achieve desired growth outcomes in hybrids.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe hybridization between var. Panniyur-1 and genotypes Salkani resulted in notable improvements in plant height, leaf dimensions, internodal length and branching demonstrates the potential of this hybrid for enhanced growth and productivity. In conclusion, the study highlights that among the various crosses obtained in black pepper, the cross between P1 and Salkani exhibited superior vigor and enhanced resistance to \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e infection. This cross demonstrated a remarkable potential for increased resilience against this devastating pathogen, making it a promising candidate for further research and development. The findings suggest that the P1 \u0026times; Salkani cross can serve as a valuable genetic resource in breeding programs aimed at improving black pepper cultivars, potentially leading to more robust and disease-resistant varieties. These results not only support the hypothesis that hybrid vigor can lead to superior growth traits in horticultural crops but also provide valuable insights into the genetic basis of these traits. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying genetic mechanisms contributing to these traits and to assess the hybrid's performance under varying environmental conditions.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003ch2\u003eEthical statements\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe authors confirm that all methods were carried out by relevant guidelines and regulations. The experimental protocols were approved by the Advisory committee of the University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot,Karnataka, India.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eTamanna Arif: Conceptualization, experimental design, data collection, analysis, and manuscript writing.Vijaykumar B. Narayanpur: Supervision, guidance on methodology, data interpretation, and manuscript review.Sudheesh Kulkarni: Assistance with experimental design, statistical analysis, and critical review of the manuscript.Devappa V.: Involved in hybridization techniques, disease inoculation experiments, and data analysis.Ratnakar Shet: Provided support in data collection, nursery management, and hybrid plant screening.Vishwanath Y. C.: Assisted in morphological analysis, plant growth assessment, and drafting specific sections of the manuscript.Pushpa P.: Helped in laboratory work, pathogen culture preparation, and data validation.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eAll data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAmiteye, S., Amitaaba, T., Akama, C., Amoatey, H.M. (2019). Hybridization studies of okra (Abelmoschus spp. (L.) Moench) accessions. 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Horticultural Reviews, 46, 223-250.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTalluri, V., Rao, D.V., Krishnamurthy, P., Reddy, V.C. (2021). Evaluating growth and yield in tomato hybrids. Horticultural Science \u0026amp; Technology, 39(1), 34-42.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWang, J., Li, H., Liu, S. (2019). Photosynthetic efficiency and leaf morphology in plant hybrids. Journal of Experimental Botany, 70(12), 3327-3340.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWei, X., Guo, Q., Jin, Y., Qiao, Y. (2020). Enhancing wheat plant height and biomass through hybridization. Journal of Plant Breeding, 15(3), 45-52.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eZhang, X., Li, Z., Zhang, Y., Zhang, W. (2017). Cotton hybrids and plant architecture: A genetic analysis. Journal of Cotton Research, 30(2), 205-214.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Black pepper, variability, hybrids, Phytophthora resistance, Agricultural resilience","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5288934/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5288934/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eBlack pepper (*Piper nigrum* L.), often referred to as the \"King of Spices\" and \"Black Gold,\" holds a unique and dominant position as the most important and widely used spice globally. It has been a highly valued agricultural commodity for centuries. Despite its immense commercial significance, black pepper faces considerable challenges, particularly from the destructive Phytophthora foot rot disease, which poses a serious threat to its cultivation. Addressing this challenge through the development of genetic variability \u003cem\u003evia\u003c/em\u003e hybridization is crucial. This study investigates the impact of various parental combinations on black pepper seeds to generate novel hybrids. Inter-varietal hybridization was executed with multiple cross combinations, including Panniyur-1 x BPL Gold, Panniyur-1 x Salkani (RMH), Panniyur-1 x SV 7, Panniyur-1 x SV 11, Panniyur-1 x SV 17, and Panniyur-1 x V1. Among these combinations, the Panniyur-1 x Salkani (RMH) hybrid exhibited the highest percentage of spike setting, germination rate, seedling height, number of leaves, internodal length and number of branches. Detailed analysis of leaf characteristics such as base shape, lamina shape, veination and leaf margin revealed noticeable variations between the hybrids and their parent plants. The newly developed hybrids underwent rigorous screening for resistance to \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e foot rot through artificial inoculation with \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora capsici\u003c/em\u003e. Notably, the Panniyur-1 x Salkani (RMH) hybrid demonstrated exceptional tolerance, showing minimal lesion development. This study not only expands the genetic diversity of black pepper but also establishes a foundation for cultivating robust hybrids with enhanced resistance to \u003cem\u003ePhytophthora\u003c/em\u003e foot rot. Such advancements are pivotal for ensuring a resilient and profitable agricultural future.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Comprehensive development and screening of novel black pepper hybrids (Piper nigrum L.) for enhanced resistance to Phytophthora capsici","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-11-25 12:32:52","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5288934/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"9ad23f30-34d1-4092-86f3-6d4027b3c26e","owner":[],"postedDate":"November 25th, 2024","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2024-12-06T01:38:14+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2024-11-25 12:32:52","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5288934","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5288934","identity":"rs-5288934","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}